Entry #5: How I Perceive the Media

Ever since I read the book, 1984, by George Orwell last year, I have become more suspicious and skeptical of the government and how the media impacts our lives. In the novel, Orwell depicts a world where the media is controlled by the government and how the totalitarian government strips humans of their basic rights. Even kids are taught to betray their parents in school if they ever find out important information about their parents.

Although we are obviously not ruled by a totalitarian government in the United States, the media is still designed in a persuasive manner. For example, each news station has a different motive or purpose. Many news channels, like FOX, try to persuade their audience without appearing bias. This works on many people and it's scary to think that some people are brainwashed by whatever they see on T.V.

Since I have been thinking and writing about the media lately, I have begun to realize more about how the media influences us. Smartphones and social media websites are designed in a way that requires users to input information. When you play games on a smartphone, sometimes a message will pop up reading, "Tweet this" or "Connect to Facebook". Additionally, I noticed that after every time you lose in doodle jump it pops up with an advertisement. The objective of "doodle jump" creators is to make money and by sponsoring other corporations, they generate more money. When I watch different television shows, I find advertisements directly related to whatever it is I'm watching. Every application, website, and/or television program has its interior motives which can be displayed in several different forms.

My brother is a great example of how the media affects people. He watches programs like The Colbert Report, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, and Real Time with Bill Maher. This may explain why he's a democrat and why he so one-sidedly promotes Obama and the democratic party. There is not one policy that my brother could agree with a Republican on which is not necessarily bad but it does justify the impact of media. In fact, one of the ways presidents get elected is through their online and televised campaigning. Barack Obama has a Facebook page and so do various other successful politicians. And don't you just hate those advertisements that always end with, "Hi, I'm __________ and I approve this message." It is quite evident that the media impacts the people and how they view politics.